RUSS hears from disgruntled man, discusses delinquent payments

MOUNT PLEASANT (GTNS) ? A determined farmer of Van Buren County, Douglas Phillips, promised to the Regional Utility Service Systems board of directors that he will do everything in his power to remove his county from the 10-county consortium.

Wednesday afternoon during the board?s regular session meeting, Phillips was the only citizen to speak during the public comments portion of the meeting that is ?strictly held to five total minutes? according to the agenda.

Phillips questioned the origins of the board stating, ?In 1999, RUSS was born springing from the Rural Health Services Agency with stakeholders, both public and private. Who are the stakeholders, who registered as lobbyists for the creation of RUSS and who were the sponsors in the legislature for these bills that created RUSS??

?Why did Davis County want out of RUSS? How does Davis County handle their rural sewer systems,? Phillips also asked the board of directors.

Phillips continued, ?I intend to get Van Buren County out of this RUSS board.?

Prior to the public comments, the RUSS board conducted business on many policies and projects throughout southeast Iowa.

Concern regarding the delinquent customer report was discussed at length.

?It?s never been RUSS?s policy to send out invoices to people, even late payment notices, because it?s always just put to the county every quarter,? stated Finance Manager Kathy Dye.

RUSS does not send a monthly invoice to customers stating the amount owed or any incurred late fees.

?I could send out invoices every month, but that is another expense for each community for the stamp, for the postage. They already have a coupon book to hopefully remind them to pay,? explained Dye.

RUSS distributes the coupon books once annually to customers.

The incorporated city of Mount Union has a total of 63 customers, but there are approximately 15 customers who do not pay, according to Dye; meaning 23.8 percent of the city?s population does not regularly pay for the wastewater service.

Currently, past dues in Mount Union total $12,891.

?I think this has gone on long enough. I think we as a board need to step up to the plate and say, ?Pay your bill or the next recourse will take place.? Whatever that might be,? said Lee County Supervisor Ernie Schiller.

Kent White of Henry County asked if there was any recourse set in place, to which Executive Director Bruce Hudson replied, ?We?ll have to find out.?

A project in Augusta in Des Moines County also was a topic of conversation.

Hudson met with the county?s supervisors to discuss the project, however a 28E agreement has not been signed. The Des Moines County Attorney is overlooking the agreement before any further steps are taken on developing a project.

?It concerns me that we?re being asked to come into these counties, communities and there?s no upfront work being done. It?s like they have the understanding that the work being done by us was being paid for by the yearly contribution that they pay into RUSS now,? stated Hudson.

?That?s not the case, that?s not what that [yearly payment] is for. It?s for the daily operations of RUSS and also to keep payments low. We?re not out to make money, we?re out to sustain, just like the systems are,? he continued.

Those representatives present at the meeting elected new officers of the board, representatives from Wapello, Des Moines and Davis counties were absent. Wes Rich, from Washington County, will serve as the new chairman of the board. The vice chairman seat will be filled by Deke Woods of Keokuk County. Henry County?s Kent White will be the secretary and treasurer.

In other business the board:

? approved hiring the Keota Fire Department to flush the Harper wastewater system twice each year for $600 per year;

? Woods was given the authority to assure that RUSS employees? payroll is correct throughout the fiscal year;

? Pat Waters, the new project coordinator, was introduced and training for his position was approved;

? the board heard a project update report concerning Pleasant Plain and East Pleasant Plain.

? updates concerning Richmond, Ollie and Rubio were presented.

The next regular session RUSS meeting is sceduled for 1 p.m. Feb. 8.